Contemporary home extension in Streatley with a roof terrace and panoramic views

This 1980’s riverside house needed some help to do real justice to the stunning Reading location as well as accommodate the family’s lifestyle. Having listened closely to the family’s needs and what they were looking for in a dream home, Absolute Architecture created the contemporary extension designs they were looking for.

For this extension, Absolute Architecture dramatically contrasted old and new, with a cedar clad extension touching lightly on the existing house with a glazed link. The true drama happens on the riverside, where floor to ceiling glass and a cantilevered balcony provides a panoramic view. A stunning roof terrace is the cherry on the cake here, providing a secluded haven.

Location: Streatley near Reading, Berkshire

Materials: The house is clad in cedar with slimline aluminium glazing and external aluminium blinds. The chimney stack in black zinc anchors the whole composition.

The clever aspects: The house is constructed using a lightweight SIPS system, to dramatically reduce the weight of the building and piling loads. An opening Skydoor rooflight creates a lightwell and provides access to the roof terrace.

Friends on the project: For this contemporary extension, Absolute Architecture partnered with:

• Greenham Construction, who did an amazing job on this build, meticulously setting out the timber cladding
• Polished concrete floors are by Topcret
• Timber floors are from Havwoods
• Glazing Vision supplied all the roof glazing
• Ultraline supplied the slimline glazing.

We love: This house extension is all about family fun. We have created a fabulously flexible room in which to gather, socialise and play, plus three bedrooms that are perfect for the parents and teenage girls. We also love the monolithic nature of the cedar used throughout, and staring out from the roof terrace at the views that are truly to die for.

Speak to one of our team about a project like this.